Direct secondary device interface by a host

• US 8,316,165 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Phan, Anson Ba, Beckmann, Jerrold Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): RHU, KRIS M
• Application Number:
  US13/313,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 710/36, 710/72, 710/73
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]

Abstract

A device has a controller and a function module configured to be in communication with the controller as a result of the controller receiving a pass-through vendor specific command. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to receive the pass-through vendor specific command from an application software module of a host through an interface that is configured in accordance with a standard that does not allow communication to occur between the controller and the function module.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a controller; and

a function module configured to be in communication with the controller as a result of the controller receiving a pass-through vendor specific command;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the pass-through vendor specific command from an application software module of a host through an interface that is configured in accordance with a standard that does not allow communication to occur between the controller and the function module; and

wherein the controller is configured to pass the pass-through vendor specific command to the function module in response to determining that the pass-through vendor specific command is to be passed to the function module.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the function module comprises a sensor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a storage device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the host further comprises a driver module configured to allow the application software module to send the pass-through vendor specific command through the driver module and the interface to the controller.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the function module comprises a first function device, and further comprising a second function device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second function device is coupled to the first function device.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the second function device and the first function device are coupled to the controller in parallel.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the function module configured to be in communication with the controller as a result of the controller receiving a pass-through vendor specific command comprises the function module being configured to recognize the vendor specific command for acting thereupon.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory unit configured to store information received from the controller.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the function module comprises one of another controller, a Light Emission Diode (LED), a fingerprint sensor, a processor, a camera, a decoder, or an encoder.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a USB controller.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the vendor specific command comprises an embedded command intended for the function module.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to strip data intended for the function module from the vendor specific command and send the stripped data to the function module.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the function module is configured to be activated upon receiving the stripped data from the controller.

15. The device of claim 5, wherein the first function device is a master to the second function device.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to the function device through a Universal Asynchronous Read Transmit (UART) interface.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to the function device through a SPI interface.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the function module comprises a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitor.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the function module is further configured to be in communication with the controller only as a result of the controller receiving the pass-through vendor specific command.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the pass-through vendor specific command is to be passed to the function module.

21. A device comprising:

a controller;

a function module configured to be in communication with the controller as a result of the controller receiving a pass-through vendor specific command; and

a memory unit configured to store information received from the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the pass-through vendor specific command from an application software module of a host through an interface that is configured in accordance with a standard that does not allow communication to occur between the controller and the function module; and

wherein the controller is configured to pass the pass-through vendor specific command to the function module in response to determining that the pass-through vendor specific command is to be passed to the function module.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the pass-through vendor specific command is to be passed to the function module.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the function module is further configured to be in communication with the controller only as a result of the controller receiving the pass- through vendor specific command.

24. A system, comprising:

a host comprising an application software module;

a controller; and

a function module configured to be in communication with the controller as a result of the controller receiving a pass-through vendor specific command;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the pass-through vendor specific command from the application software module of the host through an interface that is configured in accordance with a standard that does not allow communication to occur between the controller and the function module; and

wherein the controller is configured to pass the pass-through vendor specific command to the function module in response to determining that the pass-through vendor specific command is to be passed to the function module.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the pass-through vendor specific command is to be passed to the function module.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the function module is further configured to be in communication with the controller only as a result of the controller receiving the pass-through vendor specific command.

27. A system, comprising:

a host having application software;

a controller;

a function module; and

a driver module of the host configured to communicate with the controller;

wherein the application software is configured to send a pass-through vendor specific command to the controller through the driver module;

wherein the driver module is configured to embed a command directed to the function module in the pass-through vendor specific command; and

wherein pass-through vendor specific command is sent through an interface that is configured in accordance with a standard that does not allow communication to occur between the controller and the function module.